Other performing arts Books

Book Synopsis“Wonderful. —Michiko Kakutani, New York TimesCelebrating the 20th anniversary of storytelling phenomenon The Moth, 45 unforgettable true stories about risk, courage, and facing the unknown, drawn from the best ever told on their stagesCarefully selected by the creative minds at The Moth, and adapted to the page to preserve the raw energy of live storytelling, All These Wonders features voices both familiar and new. Alongside Meg Wolitzer, John Turturro, Tig Notaro, and Hasan Minhaj, readers will encounter: an astronomer gazing at the surface of Pluto for the first time, an Afghan refugee learning how much her father sacrificed to save their family, a hip-hop star coming to terms with being a “one-hit wonder,” a young female spy risking everything as part of Churchill’s “secret army” during World War II, and more. High-school student and neuroscientist aliTrade ReviewNATIONAL BESTSELLER“Some [stories] are heartbreakingly sad; some laugh-out-loud funny; some momentous and tragic; almost all of them resonant or surprising. They are stories that attest to the startling varieties and travails of human experience, and the shared threads of love, loss, fear and kindness that connect us."—Michiko Kakutani, New York Times"All These Wonders is replete with wondrous true stories of loves, losses, rerouted dreams, and existential crises of nearly every unsugarcoated flavor."—Maria Popova, Brain Pickings“[The Moth] has this indescribable energy that comes with people allowing themselves to be honest without fear. Translated to the page, this book . . . really becomes an incredible syllabus of vulnerability, one that invites you to cherry pick and re-read stories as you need them.”—Goop (16 Great Reads for the Summer)“All These Wonders is a compelling read, by turns uplifting, heartbreaking, and ultimately redemptive. If there is a real hero of the book, it is surely the human spirit, which, time and again, transcends whatever life throws at it.”—Daily Mail "The stories are gripping, insightful, addictive. . . . [It's] hard not to laugh, cry, or be a little moved by each one."—Toronto Star“All These Wonders is divided into seven expertly curated chapters. The effect is an anthology of seven Mainstage shows, averaging six stories per show. Each juxtaposes sensational stories by famous names . . . with those by relatively unknown storytellers, whose narratives, quite often, deliver the biggest emotional punches.”—Megan Labrise, Kirkus Reviews“All These Wonders is a journey through the mysteries of the unexpected. . . . Every tale is its own surprising glimpse into the human story.”—Mary Elizabeth Williams, Salon"The Moth's 20-year retrospective contains all the hope, sadness, triumphs, and tribulations that have defined the pioneering live reading series since its modest debut in 1997. . . . Overall, the two decades of the Moth remain as entertaining and powerful off-stage as they were onstage."—Kirkus Reviews"[The stories] are all arresting tales."—Buffalo News (Editor's Choice) "[The Moth is] New York's hottest and hippest literary ticket."—The Wall Street Journal

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Book SynopsisNEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • From storytelling phenomenon and hit podcast The Moth—and featuring contributions from Meg Wolitzer, Adam Gopnik, Krista Tippett, Andrew Solomon, Rosanne Cash, Ophira Eisenberg, Wang Ping, and more—a new collection of unforgettable true stories about finding the strength to face the impossible, drawn from the very best ever told on its stagesCarefully selected by the creative minds at storytelling phenomenon The Moth, and adapted to the page to preserve the raw energy of stories told live, onstage and without notes, Occasional Magic features voices familiar and new. Inside, storytellers from around the world share times when, in the face of seemingly impossible situations, they found moments of beauty, wonder, and clarity that shed light on their lives and helped them find a path forward. From a fifteen-year-old saving a life in Chicago to a mother of triplets trekking to the North P

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Book SynopsisVideo Art Theory: A Comparative Approach demonstrates how video art functions on the basis of a comparative media approach, providing a crucial understanding of video as a medium in contemporary art and of the visual mediations we encounter in daily life.Table of ContentsAcknowledgments vii Introduction 1 1 Immediacy versus Memory: Video Art in Relation to Television, Performance Art, and Home Video 20 Gillian Wearing's Trauma (2000) Juxtaposed to Joan Jonas's Vertical Roll (1972) 23 Video Art Dealing with the Constant Movements of Audio-Visual Electronic Media, and the Immediacy and Socio-Cultural Aspects of Television 25 The Appeal of Immediacy: Video in Performance Art and Performance in Video Art 45 The Application of the Mnemonic Ability of Video and the Relationship with Activist-Videos and Home Video 60 2 Immateriality versus Three-Dimensionality: Video Art as Sculpture, Installation Art, Projection, and Virtual Medium 79 Lynn Hershman's Tillie the Telerobotic Doll (1995) Juxtaposed to Andy Warhol's Outer and Inner Space(1965) 82 Television as an Object: Sculpture or Part of Architecture 85 Spatial Video Installations and the Relationship with the Space of the Visitor 91 Projections on Spatial Positioned Screens, the Space of Sound, and Interaction with the Visitor 96 Immaterial Projections Interfering in Darkened Sites and Immersing the Viewer 104 Interacting in the Merged Physical and Digital Space 109 3 Moving Images Mediating as Contemplative Images: Video's Challenge of Photography, Drawing, and Painting 121 Kudzanai Chiurai's Iyeza (2012) Juxtaposed to Thierry Kuntzel's E´te´ – double vue (1988) 125 Video Art and Photography 130 Video Art and Drawing 140 Video Art and Painting 147 4 Repetition and Fragmentation in Narrative: Video's Appropriation and Subversion of Classical Cinema 164Candice Breitz's Mother + Father (2005) Juxtaposed to Rodney Graham's Vexation Island (1997) and Keren Cytter's Corrections (2013) 166 Aspects of Narrative in Video Art Reacting to Hollywood Films, and Views on Compulsive Repetition 169 The Tension between Images and Verbal Language as Dialog, Voice-over, Voice-off, or Text 180 In Lieu of a Conclusion 193 Index 199

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Book SynopsisConcert Design: The Road, The Craft, The Industry offers an exceptional journey though the world of concert design, exploring not only its unique design attributes but also the industry that has grown around it and how to make a career of the road'.Concert designer Seth Jackson analyzes how the industry has changed over the last three decades from its early days of no rules' and cowboys' to a thriving and growing industry with countless career opportunities. Drawing on 25 years of experience and clients ranging from Carrie Underwood to Don Henley, he explores design techniques, working with Artists and directors, the rigors of concert touring, and navigating a career path through a challenging industry. The book also includes stories from numerous industry luminaries such as Steve Cohen, Jeff Ravitz, Eric Loader, Howard Ungerleider, and Jim Lenahan, along with Jackson's own experiences.Written for aspiring concert lighting designers and stuTrade Review"Jackson has an easy-to-read narrative style of writing that’s like sitting down with him in a big, comfy chair talking about what he’s been doing with himself. The content is made up primarily of lessons big and small that are intelligently relayed, in a language that’s relaxed and familiar. The stories will make you want to keep reading, and before you know it, you’ll be at the end and wanting more."-Richard Cadena, Lighting & Sound America August 2020Table of Contents1. I Want to Do This for the Rest of My Life 2. I’m Sweeping the Shop… with My BFA 3. Wheels on the Highway 4. Designs and Sausages 5. It May Take a Village, but You Are Just One of the Chiefs 6. Allied Forces 7. Where’s the Band? 8. The Call for Artistry

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Book SynopsisTheatre is not part of our vocabulary: Sipho Sepamla's provocation in 1981, the year of famous anti-apartheid play Woza Albert!, prompts the response, yes indeed, it is. A Century of South African Theatre demonstrates the impact of theatre and other performancespageants, concerts, sketches, workshops, and performance artover the last hundred years. Its coverage includes African responses to pro-British pageants celebrating white Union in 1910, such as the Emancipation Centenary of the abolition of British colonial slavery in 1934 organized by Griffiths Motsieloa and HIE Dhlomo, through anti-apartheid testimonial theatre by Athol Fugard, Maishe Maponya, Gcina Mhlophe, and many others, right up to the present dramatization of state capture, inequality and state violence in today's unevenly democratic society, where government has promised much but delivered little. Building on Loren Kruger's personal observations of forty years as well as her published resTrade Review[Loren Kruger’s] detailed discussions of colonial-era pageants, the theatre of Afrikaner nationalism and Black Consciousness, as well as the diverse experiments of contemporary dramatists responding to HIV-AIDS, gender violence, state corruption, and the massacre of miners at Marikana, make A Century of South African Theatre essential reading. Going beyond the local, Kruger insightfully places South African theatre within a transnational frame, tracing influences ranging from the European avant-garde to African American popular stage shows. -- Mark Sanders, Professor of Comparative Literature, New York University, USAKruger performs the impossible. Her book provides a panoptic view of a sprawling, unwieldy and fascinating subject but there are no short cuts or bland generalisations. Instead, she moves astutely across the shifting terrain and multiple maps of theatre in South Africa, marking the tensions and contradictions of overlapping languages, cultures and authorities...Certainly, in its compelling and erudite coverage of a difficult theatrical century this is a volume not to be missed. * Liz Gunner, Visiting Research Professor LanCSAL, School of Languages, University of Johannesburg, South Africa *This book has done justice to the history of South African theatre and more specifically the history of performance and playwriting by African and women theatre makers. While Kruger gives the colonial/apartheid theatre its place and context in history, she deliberately foregrounds the subaltern. As an analyst, Kruger is privileged to have a working knowledge of isiZulu, which she uses to her advantage to view plays, collect data and make informed opinions on African performances. She straddles both the insider and outsider positions making her historical account balanced. This book is an excellent resource for all drama/theatre/performance departments offering an academic major in (South) African theatre or any cultural analyst with an interest in theatre studies. * Samuel Ravengai, Associate Professor, Head of the Wits School of the Arts, University of the Witwatersrand, South Africa *Loren Kruger has made an enormous contribution to the scholarly study of South African theatre, not only in reflecting us to ourselves, but also in placing us within the context of a world theatre. She repeatedly reveals her mastery of the rigorous tools of analysis in tracking and mining rich seams of cultural activity which she is able to filter into potent, tightly packed categories. * South African Theatre Journal *The views as expressed in this book should undoubtedly be taken seriously in any (re)evaluation of the role played by theatre and performance over the course of the past 100 years. * Critical Stages *Table of ContentsList of Illustrations List of Maps Acknowledgements Introduction: Theatre and South African Public Spheres Chapter 1 Commemorating and Contesting Emancipation: Pageants and other enactments Chapter 2 Neocolonial theatre and the “African National Dramatic Movement” Chapter 3 (Anti-)Apartheid Theatre in the Shadow of Sophiatown Chapter 4 Advance and Retreat of the Afrikaner Ascendancy Chapter 5 Dramas of Black Solidarity Chapter 6 Theatre as Testimony and Performance Against Apartheid Chapter 7 Prospects and Retro-spects in Post-anti-apartheid Theatre Chapter 8 The Constitution of South African Theatre at the Present Time Abbreviations and Glossary Abbreviations, key terms from South Africa’s indigenous languages; and distinctive South African variants of English words and phrases Notes References Index

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Book SynopsisTrade ReviewCheerful, chatty and very informative ... A readable heedable role-book, a fine fools' guide to improvisation, wherein lies plenty to plunder for those learning and teaching drama at all levels. * John Hegley, poet and musician *A wondrous toolbox for the imagination. * Jake Arnott, novelist *Fabulous book – humorous, instructive, informative – an absolute must-have for anyone interested in comedy and improvisation! * Brenda Gilhooly, comedian and TV writer *In a world where imagination seems to be fighting a losing battle against technology, Alison Goldie has come up with a brilliant and easy to follow guide to putting people back in touch with this essential part of their creative minds ... This book should be on the bloody national curriculum! * Phill Jupitus *Her voice is convincing, experienced and friendly and endless reassuring, however wonderful or excruciating your past impro experiences. ... Goldie's book could be lighting up a shelf near you. * National Drama Magazine *Packed with passion, imagination and enthusiasm, it has much to offer youth theatre companies looking for new ways to explore and create theatre. -- Michael Quinn * National Association of Youth Drama *It's useful to be able to control yourself sometimes, and it's dreadful when it becomes a habit. The Improv Book is a treasure chest of ways to bring more zest, surprise and depth back into your life—and into the lives of your students, your employees, your children, your parents and anyone else who might need it. It's really very good. I just made that up. But it's true. * Guy Claxton, author of What's the Point of School? and Building Learning Power *Goldie is an actor, director and facilitator who has taught improv all over the world – and not just to actors. Her book is full of practical exercises, lists and interesting ways of working. ... Much of Goldie’s work is potentially applicable to almost any walk of life. She wants people to communicate and get past the barriers which often impede them. I’m inclined to agree with Phill Jupitus, quoted on the cover as saying “This book should be on the bloody national curriculum”. * National Association of Youth Drama *The solid knowledge and experience of the actor, director, writer and broadcaster Alison Goldie is apparent throughout, as is her infectious enthusiasm. ... Highly recommended for anyone exploring improvisation, wanting to spice up their rehearsals of existing material or wishing to devise their own work. * Drama Resource *

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Book SynopsisThe oral history of Disney’s Hocus Pocus, one of the most beloved Halloween movies of all timeIn July 1993, Disney’s Hocus Pocus, starring Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker, and Kathy Najimy, did not immediately find success, with box office numbers falling far below what was envisioned. Yet somehow the Halloween movie released in the middle of the summer to little fanfare has become an enduring and widely loved classic. Nearly three decades after the film’s initial release, it’s a yearly holiday viewing tradition in households around the world, becoming a not-so-scary rite of passage for kids and their parents, many of whom grew up watching the film about the resurrected witchy trio with their own parents. Hocus Pocus is a movie that has few if any equals; it manages to span a generational divide, uniting boomers and zoomers in their nostalgic love for the boundary-pushing supernatural comedy that in some ways seemed a little too risqué for the millennial kids it was originally intended for. So how did a movie that didn’t catch an initial spark end up casting such a spell on mainstream culture? Witches Run Amok answers that question and more, using interviews from the cast and creative team behind the heartwarming Halloween staple. The book is a love letter to Hocus Pocus’s millions of devoted fans and a fascinating read for anyone who wants to understand how the Disney movie became a pop culture phenomenon.

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Book SynopsisThis wide-ranging celebration of the variety and complexity of international film comedy covers work from the days of silent movies to the present on a global scale, including Europe, the Middle East and Asia as well as the United States.Trade Review“And of course, it very much is. An important subject needs an important companion. This is it. That’s all, folks.” (Reference Reviews, 1 January 2014) “This work is indispensible for any student or scholar who, in the spirit of Rabelais, Swift, and Chesterton, will laugh while studying film images. Summing Up: Highly recommended. Lower-division undergraduates and above; general readers.” (Choice, 1 July 2013) Table of ContentsNotes on Editors and Contributors ix Comic Introduction: ‘‘Make ’em Laugh, make ’em Laugh!’’ 1 Part I Comedy Before Sound, and the Slapstick Tradition 1 The Mark of the Ridiculous and Silent Celluloid: Some Trends in American and European Film Comedy from 1894 to 1929 15 Frank Scheide 2 Pie Queens and Virtuous Vamps: The Funny Women of the Silent Screen 39 Kristen AndersonWagner 3 ‘‘Sound Came Along and OutWent the Pies’’: The American Slapstick Short and the Coming of Sound 61 Rob King Part II Comic Performers in the Sound Era 4 MutiniesWednesdays and Saturdays: Carnivalesque Comedy and the Marx Brothers 87 Frank Krutnik 5 Jacques Tati and Comedic Performance 111 KevinW. Sweeney 6 Woody Allen: Charlie Chaplin of New Hollywood 130 David R. Shumway 7 Mel Brooks, Vulgar Modernism, and Comic Remediation 151 Henry Jenkins Part III New Perspectives on Romantic Comedy and Masculinity 8 Humor and Erotic Utopia: The Intimate Scenarios of Romantic Comedy 175 Celestino Deleyto 9 Taking Romantic Comedy Seriously in Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004) and Before Sunset (2004) 196 Leger Grindon 10 The View from the Man Cave: Comedy in the Contemporary ‘‘Homme-com’’ Cycle 217 Tamar Jeffers McDonald 11 The Reproduction of Mothering: Masculinity, Adoption, and Identity in Flirting with Disaster 236 Lucy Fischer Part IV Topical Comedy, Irony, and Humour Noir 12 It’s Good to be the King: Hollywood’s Mythical Monarchies, Troubled Republics, and Crazy Kingdoms 251 Charles Morrow 13 No Escaping the Depression: Utopian Comedy and the Aesthetics of Escapism in Frank Capra’s You Can’t Take it with You (1938) 273 William Paul 14 The Totalitarian Comedy of Lubitsch’s To Be or Not To Be 293 Maria DiBattista 15 Dark Comedy from Dr. Strangelove to the Dude 315 Mark Eaton Part V Comic Perspectives on Race and Ethnicity 16 Black Film Comedy as Vital Edge: A Reassessment of the Genre 343 Catherine A. John 17 Winking Like a One-Eyed Ford: American Indian Film Comedies on the Hilarity of Poverty 365 Joshua B. Nelson 18 Ethnic Humor in American Film: The Greek Americans 387 Dan Georgakas Part VI International Comedy 19 Alexander Mackendrick: Dreams, Nightmares, and Myths in Ealing Comedy 409 Claire Mortimer 20 Tragicomic Transformations: Gender, Humor, and the Plastic Body in Two Korean Comedies 432 Jane Park 21 Comedy ‘‘Italian Style’’ and I soliti ignoti (Big Deal on Madonna Street, 1958) 454 Roberta Di Carmine 22 ‘‘Laughter that Encounters a Void?’’: Humor, Loss, and the Possibility for Politics in Recent Palestinian Cinema 474 Najat Rahman Part VII Comic Animation 23 Laughter is Ten Times More Powerful than a Scream: The Case of Animated Comedy 497 Paul Wells 24 Theatrical Cartoon Comedy: From Animated Portmanteau to the Risus Purus 521 Suzanne Buchan Index 545

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Book SynopsisFocusing on star writer/performer comediansKathy Griffin, Tina Fey, Sarah Silverman, Margaret Cho, Wanda Sykes, and Ellen DeGeneresPretty/Funny demonstrates that women's comedy has become a prime site of feminism in the twenty-first century.Table of Contents Acknowledgments Introduction. Pretty/Funny Women and Comedy's Body Politics: Funniness, Prettiness, and Feminism Chapter One. Kathy Griffin and the Comedy of the D List Chapter Two. Feminism, Postfeminism, Liz Lemonism: Picturing Tina Fey Chapter Three. Sarah Silverman: Bedwetting, Body Comedy, and "a Mouth Full of Blood Laughs" Chapter Four. Margaret Cho Is Beautiful: A Comedy of Manifesto Chapter Five. "White People Are Looking at You!" Wanda Sykes's Black Looks Chapter Six. Ellen DeGeneres: Pretty Funny Butch as Girl Next Door Notes Bibliography Index

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Book SynopsisIdeal for classroom use, this anthology of original essays by the leading authorities on women's comedy surveys the disorderly, subversive, and unruly performances of women comics from silent film to contemporary multimediaTrade ReviewHere to meet all your funny female deep-read needs . . . a juicy read for those who love the many ways female comics use their art to question the patriarchy. * BUST *Hysterical! is and will be of benefit to any scholar studying women and humour and especially for star studies scholars that focus on funny women. * Aigne *Hysterical! is wide-ranging, well-researched, and clearly written, making it accessible to both academic and general audiences…an invaluable collection and a great read." * Journal of Popular Culture *Together, Mizejewski and Sturtevant create a collection which thoroughly explores aspects of the body, gender, and sexuality in American women’s comedy, shedding light on the fact that, to appear funny to men, women often find themselves making fun of their own bodies and sexual experiences in a way most male comics do not...Hysterical! is a thorough collection of essays on the works of women in American comedy, focusing on themes relating to the body, sexuality, and expectations of women in society. * Popular Culture Studies Journal *Table of Contents Foreword (Kathleen Rowe Karlyn) Acknowledgments Introduction (Linda Mizejewski and Victoria Sturtevant) 1. Mabel Normand: New Woman in the Flapper Age (Kristine Brunovska Karnick ) 2. Fay Tincher: Female Rowdiness and Social Change (Joanna E. Rapf ) 3. Mae West: The Constant Sinner (Kristen Hatch) 4. Fanny Brice’s New Nose: Beauty, Ethnicity, and Liminality (Kristen Anderson Wagner) 5. Lucille Ball and the Lucy Character: Familiarity, Female Friendship, and the Anxiety of Competence (Lori Landay) 6. Carol Burnett: Home, Horror, and Hilarity on The Carol Burnett Show (Linda Mizejewski) 7. Lily Tomlin: Queer Sensibilities, Funny Feminism, and Multimedia Stardom (Suzanne Leonard) 8. Moms Mabley and Wanda Sykes: “I’ma Be Me” (Bambi Haggins) 9. Roseanne Barr: Remembering Roseanne (Rosie White ) 10. Whoopi Goldberg in Hollywood: Queering Comic Genre Genealogies (Rebecca Wanzo) 11. Margaret Cho’s Army: “We Are the Baddest Motherfuckers on the Block” (Rebecca Krefting) 12. Ellen DeGeneres’s Incorporate Body: The Politics of Authenticity (Brenda R. Weber and Joselyn K. Leimbach) 13. Sarah Silverman: Cuteness as Subversion (Anthony P. McIntyre ) 14. Tina Fey: “Quality” Comedy and the Body of the Female Comedy Author (Julia Havas) 15. Lena Dunham: Cringe Comedy and Body Politics (Maria Sulimma ) Works Cited Contributors Index

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Book SynopsisIdeal for classroom use, this anthology of original essays by the leading authorities on women's comedy surveys the disorderly, subversive, and unruly performances of women comics from silent film to contemporary multimediaTrade ReviewHere to meet all your funny female deep-read needs . . . a juicy read for those who love the many ways female comics use their art to question the patriarchy. * BUST *Hysterical! is and will be of benefit to any scholar studying women and humour and especially for star studies scholars that focus on funny women. * Aigne *Hysterical! is wide-ranging, well-researched, and clearly written, making it accessible to both academic and general audiences…an invaluable collection and a great read." * Journal of Popular Culture *Together, Mizejewski and Sturtevant create a collection which thoroughly explores aspects of the body, gender, and sexuality in American women’s comedy, shedding light on the fact that, to appear funny to men, women often find themselves making fun of their own bodies and sexual experiences in a way most male comics do not...Hysterical! is a thorough collection of essays on the works of women in American comedy, focusing on themes relating to the body, sexuality, and expectations of women in society. * Popular Culture Studies Journal *Table of Contents Foreword (Kathleen Rowe Karlyn) Acknowledgments Introduction (Linda Mizejewski and Victoria Sturtevant) 1. Mabel Normand: New Woman in the Flapper Age (Kristine Brunovska Karnick ) 2. Fay Tincher: Female Rowdiness and Social Change (Joanna E. Rapf ) 3. Mae West: The Constant Sinner (Kristen Hatch) 4. Fanny Brice’s New Nose: Beauty, Ethnicity, and Liminality (Kristen Anderson Wagner) 5. Lucille Ball and the Lucy Character: Familiarity, Female Friendship, and the Anxiety of Competence (Lori Landay) 6. Carol Burnett: Home, Horror, and Hilarity on The Carol Burnett Show (Linda Mizejewski) 7. Lily Tomlin: Queer Sensibilities, Funny Feminism, and Multimedia Stardom (Suzanne Leonard) 8. Moms Mabley and Wanda Sykes: “I’ma Be Me” (Bambi Haggins) 9. Roseanne Barr: Remembering Roseanne (Rosie White ) 10. Whoopi Goldberg in Hollywood: Queering Comic Genre Genealogies (Rebecca Wanzo) 11. Margaret Cho’s Army: “We Are the Baddest Motherfuckers on the Block” (Rebecca Krefting) 12. Ellen DeGeneres’s Incorporate Body: The Politics of Authenticity (Brenda R. Weber and Joselyn K. Leimbach) 13. Sarah Silverman: Cuteness as Subversion (Anthony P. McIntyre ) 14. Tina Fey: “Quality” Comedy and the Body of the Female Comedy Author (Julia Havas) 15. Lena Dunham: Cringe Comedy and Body Politics (Maria Sulimma ) Works Cited Contributors Index

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Book SynopsisFinalist for The Barnard Hewitt Award for Outstanding Research in Theatre History, given by the American Society for Theatre Research.Silver Medal Winner of The Victor Villaseñor Best Latino Focused Non-Fiction Book Award, given by the International Latino Book Awards.Honorable Mention for the Best LGBTQ+ Themed Book, given by the International Latino Book Awards.A queer genealogy of the famous performance space and the nuyorican aesthetic One could easily overlook the Nuyorican Poets Cafe, a small, unassuming performance venue on New York City's Lower East Side. Yet the space once hosted the likes of Victor Hernández Cruz, Allen Ginsberg, and Amiri Baraka and is widely credited as the homespace for the emergent nuyorican literary and aesthetic movement of the 1990s. Founded by a group of counterculturalist Puerto Rican immigrants and artists in the 1970s, the space slowly transformed the Puerto RicTrade ReviewA thrilling meditation on the seldom-acknowledged wild and wily ways artists of color in the 1990s and 2000s queered Nuyorican poetic performance by astutely reconnecting with its corporeally fluid founding aesthetics. Karen Jaime’s The Queer Nuyorican is a timely and seductive invitation to explore nuyorican aesthetics as an inclusive, mobile, inspiringly contentious Open Room. * Arnaldo Cruz-Malavé, author of Queer Latino Testimonio, Keith Haring, and Juanito Xtravaganza: Hard Tails *Karen Jaime’s assessment of the aesthetics cultivated and mobilized at the Nuyorican Poets Cafe takes a groundbreaking turn to render queer contributions as central to the artistic, cultural, and political legacy and future of this beloved institution. Bringing to light previously unexamined archival materials and offering a proximity of analysis only possible from the vantage point of a creative participant in the scene, Karen Jaime allows us to discover the Nuyorican anew. This intimate and rigorous volume will shape all future scholarship on the Cafe and the nuyorican aesthetic. * Ramón H. Rivera-Servera, Dean of the College of Fine Arts at the University of Texas at Austin *The Queer Nuyorican has the potential to make readers hopeful for a queer future through its particular connection to the queer past. The book’s chapters, organized by artistic subjects, make for a gratifying read for specialists, as well as more general audiences, allowing for a more queer, and racially diverse, view of the field. * The Journal of American Drama and Theatre *"The Queer Nuyorican is an extremely compelling book. By positioning herself so centrally and working with such a rich and heretofore underutilized archive, Karen Jaime transforms our perception of this leading Puerto Rican, Latinx, African American, and queer of color institution in New York City." * Latino Studies Journal *

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Book SynopsisAn insider's look at the power of comedy to effect social changeFrom Trevor Noah's The Daily Show and Hasan Minhaj's Patriot Act, to Issa Rae's Insecure and Corey Ryan Forrester's Twitter feed, today's multi-platform comedy refuses to shy away from the social issues that define our time.As more comedians lean into social justice activism, they help reshape the entertainment industry and offer creative, dynamic avenues for social change. The Revolution Will Be Hilarious offers a compelling insider's look at how comedy and social justice activists are working together in a revolutionary media moment. Caty Borum invites readers into an expanding, enterprising arena of participatory culture and politics through in-depth interviews with comedians, social justice leaders, and Hollywood players. Their insights shed light on questions such as: What role does comedy play in helping communities engage the public with challenging social issues? HoTrade ReviewCaty Borum shows us why she is the leading expert in the field of comedy & social justice. The Revolution Will Be Hilarious is essential reading for all the creative deviants out there who wish to engage with comedy as a form of artistic resistance. -- Josh Church, producer of Bros and George Carlin’s American Dream, Apatow ProductionsCaty Borum's analysis of the intersection of activism and humor highlights how much comedy plays a role in shaping the way we think and shaping the way we see the world as it is. This book also beautifully illustrates how humor can help us shape the world into what we hope it could be. There is no one more qualified to take us on such a journey than Caty Borum. -- Roy Wood Jr., Comedian, Correspondent, The Daily ShowArguing that humor is a fuel that powers positive change, Borum shows up- close how comedians turn communities of laughter into communities of action. A fun read and full of insight, this book is essential for anyone interested in the business of comedy and the power of grassroots politics. -- Nick Marx and Matt Sienkiewicz, authors of That's Not Funny: How the Right Makes Comedy Work for ThemThe book that comedy and social justice never knew it needed! The revelations, stories, and ideas presented are inspirational. A must-read for anyone who is interested in the intersection of entertainment and culture. -- Deniese Davis, founder/CEO, Reform Media Group; co-executive producer, Insecure; producer, A Black Lady Sketch ShowIn response to years of clear social upheaval in the United States, from renewed fights for social justice to new threats of authoritarianism, a new, diverse set of comedy voices are using humor in their activism. Caty Borum chronicles this phenomenon in her entertaining book The Revolution Will Be Hilarious. * Foreword Reviews *An important addition to support multidisciplinary research in the social sciences and fine arts, with a wide appeal for those interested in the role of activist comedy on emerging social media platforms. * Library Journal *The Revolution Will Be Hilarious shows how much media can emerge, converge, and use comedy as an effective tool for bringing about lasting change. -- Brian Boone * Vulture *It is clear from reading The Revolution Will Be Hilarious that Borum cares quite deeply about the power of civic organizations to drive social and political change and that her active, engaged scholarship is helping to promote a revolution that is both funny and impactful....Borum shows us just what can happen when comedians and activists work together to promote social change. * International Journal of Communication *

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Book SynopsisHow gallows humor can bolster us to confront global warmingWe've all seen the headlines: oceans rising, historic heat waves, mass extinctions, climate refugees. It feels overwhelming, like nothing can make a difference in combating this ongoing global catastrophe. How can we mobilize to save the world when we feel this depressed? Stay Cool enjoins us to laugh our way forward. Human beings have used comedy to cope with difficult realities since the beginning of recorded timethe more dismal the news, the darker the humor. Using this rich tradition of dark comedy to investigate climate change, Aaron Sachs makes the case that gallows humor, a mainstay of African Americans and Jews facing extraordinary oppression, can cultivate endurance, persistence, and solidarity in the face of calamity. Sachs surveys the macabre tradition of laughing during great suffering, from the Black Plague to the San Francisco earthquake of 1906and offers some of the earliest examples of superlative dark comedy. HTrade ReviewSachs is like the Stephen Colbert of scholars—wicked funny and smart, dead serious, and utterly friendly and accessible, all while explaining why it’s so urgent to have a good laugh as we deal with the climate crisis. You’ll laugh, you’ll cry, you’ll laugh, you’ll cry. * Jenny Price, author of Stop Saving the Planet! An Environmentalist Manifesto *Punchy, clarifying, and invigorating. Even while maintaining a happily irreverent tone, Stay Cool explores a deep question: how the environmental movement might learn from previous social movements that kept up their catalytic energy rather than succumb to despondency and defeatism. It is a book perfectly attuned to the challenges of our moment. * Scott Saul, author of Becoming Richard Pryor *Aaron Sachs’ insights burn hot. While ever careful not to minimize our current straits, he guides us toward a sustainable way to think about, well, sustainability. Gallows humor, self-deprecation, the trickster’s ploys—all have served to inoculate those considered without history from the forces of history. Stay Cool recognizes the importance of remembering that within our frail humanity is the possibility of being better, and that one good way to start addressing our climate needs is to learn to laugh at our fallibility, if only so that we are prepared for the not-so-funny work ahead. * Jonathan Holloway, President, Rutgers University, and author of The Cause of Freedom: A Concise History of African Americans *Aaron Sachs’s central message in Stay Cool is if you want to survive catastrophe—whether one brought on by people or nature—don’t be alarmist, and definitely don’t be earnest and moralistic. Be funny. * Cindy Ott, author of Pumpkin: The Curious History of an American Icon *Feeling in the depths of despair about the future of our planet? As someone who can relate to getting the ‘climate blues,’ I encourage others in the planetary doldrums to read this book! Sachs will challenge your ideas about what climate change activism might look like—and will do so in ways that may lighten your mood at the same time. * Rachel Bezner Kerr, Cornell University, member of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change *Declaring that the sanctimonious tones of environmentalists have a demotivating impact, this book muses on how humor might be more effective. It meditates on the role of morale in social movements, noting places where oppressed people turned despondency into determination and defiance, shifting their perspectives toward humor and hope amid despair. Stay Cool encourages a fresh, creative approach to addressing one of the biggest challenges of the time—climate change. * Foreword Reviews *Entertaining and informative. Sachs goes beyond citing papers that back up his thesis. He references many other publications, podcasts, and humorists, almost everything we need to know as the waters rise up before us, and the land behind us burns away, when what we’ll need is a damn good laugh. If it’s too late for that, well then, the joke will be on us. -- JoeAnn Hart * EcoLit Book Review *

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Book SynopsisThis is a book of encounters. Part memoir, part essay, and partly a guide to maximizing your capacity for fulfillment and expression, The Poetry of Everyday Life taps into the artistic side of what we often take for granted: the stories we tell, the people we love, the metaphors used by scientists, even our sex lives. A folklorist, writer, and cultural activist, Steve Zeitlin explores how poems serve us in daily life and how they are used in times of personal and national crisis. In the first book to bring together the perspectives of folklore and creative writing, Zeitlin explores meaning and experience, covering topics ranging from poetry in the life cycle to the contemporary uses of ancient myths. This convergence of poetry and folklore, he suggests, gives birth to something new: a new way of seeing ourselves, and a new way of being in the world. Written with humor and insight, the book introduces readers to the many eccentric and visionary characters Zeitlin has meTrade ReviewFor the folklorist, the book is of considerable interest because it shows us how one prominent public-sector folklorist approaches his material in a manner that is somewhat distinctive. * Journal of American Folklore *The Poetry of Everyday Life reads like a conversation Zeitlin has had with the many people he has met in fieldwork, with his friends, family, ping-pong partners, and scholars who inform his thinking. Likewise, we find ourselves in conversation with poets, scholars, community members, his family, and others, all of whom are equal participants. The book prompts me to question my own language in writing this review when really, how do I review a book that made me think differently, that brought me to tears, and that changed how I teach? I could offer a poem, but I'll end with a pitch: buy this book. * Journal of Folklore Research *

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Book SynopsisDudley Riggs didn’t have to run away from home to join the circus. Home was the circus. Son of the acclaimed aerial flyers Riggs and Riggs, he made his circus debut as a polar prince parading in a wagon pulled by a polar bear. At the age of five, he graduated to a risqué vaudeville act during the circus off- season; at eight, he outgrew his cutes (and his child stardom) and joined his high-flying parents on the trapeze. Eventually he had to learn to “fly funny” because he grew too tall to fly straight. In one way or another, Riggs has been flying ever since.The rest, as they say, is history. And what a story it is. In Flying Funny, Riggs shares many highs and lows while describing circus life and the evolution of America’s popular entertainment during the twentieth century. From his early life in circus and vaudeville to his creation of the Brave New Workshop, we see how his show business experience and instincts helped him create in Minneapolis what became the “next wave” in American entertainment—improvisation. As a young man, Riggs lost everything in a tornado, got an education on the fly, and sailed with the All American circus to post–war Japan. On a slow boat home and restless about his future, he developed the idea of Word Jazz—creating a script on stage as it is being performed—and shortly after he opened the Instant Theater in New York. Later, he moved to Minneapolis where he founded the Brave New Workshop, launching the careers of comic greats such as Penn and Teller, The Flying Karamazov Brothers, Louie Anderson, Peter Tolan, Pat Proft, Nancy Steen, Liz Winstead, Al Franken and many others. Today, the Brave New Workshop thrives as the longest running improvisational theater in America. From flying funny on the trapeze to theater without a net, Dudley Riggs’s story is filled with hearty laughs and eyebrow-raising insights. With a wry sense of humor and infectious warmth, he shares the exhilaration of flying whether through the air or on the stage.Trade Review"Dudley Riggs not only brought comedy to thousands of people, he paved and provided a safe environment for artists to stretch the boundaries beyond the norm. He made people think, but mostly he made them laugh their asses off. He’s an American institution, a Minnesota treasure, and my earliest mentor and friend. If you love show biz, comedy, the circus, or just want to laugh your ass off, you’ll get his book Flying Funny!"—Louie Anderson"The great Dudley Riggs is a titan of comedy. There was no laughter west of the Mississippi before him. He let us perform at his theater when we were just getting started, so we owe him a blurb. So buy this book."—Penn & Teller"It’s a lucky person who finds their wings in order to fly in this life. Dudley Riggs had the good fortune of being born on the high wire with no other option but to fly. And fly he did! Life without a net is a brave and honorable journey, and Dudley shares exactly this in his story. One can equate Riggs’s big-top lifestyle to their own everyday circus and perhaps find some wings of their own."—Mo Collins"Always wanted to run away with the circus . . . but your busy schedule never allowed it? Well, this book is the answer. It will pull you by the sleeve and set you on the tightrope or the flying trapeze . . . until you find yourself landing on the stage of an improv theater. Bravo, Maestro Dudley Riggs!"—Philippe Petit, high wire artist and author"Riggs is known nationally as founder of the Minneapolis-based Brave New Workshop, but his memoir Flying Funny: My Life without a Net doesn’t dwell on the comedy club. It’s about growing up among circus people, his brief career as an aerialist and the ‘stubborn, recurrent notion I had of creating an original scene onstage while performing it.’"—Pioneer Press"Like Riggs himself, his book is warm and a bit bashful in tone, avoiding the acres of melodrama and flamboyant flimflam found in many show business autobiographies. It reads like the work of a man with more good cheer than worry, making it through life’s travails without deep scars on his body or spirit. "—Star Tribune"The book is as entertaining as Riggs’ life and career and is recommended."—Circus Report and Show Biz USA"In this amusing memoir the ex-acrobat is still flying funny."—SpectacleTable of ContentsContentsForewordPreface1. The Polar Prince2. Vaudeville3. The World’s Fair4. The Riggs Brothers Circus5. School on the Road6. The Circus at War7. The Great Alberty8. Flying Funny9. Clown Diplomacy10. Fliffus It is!11. Word Jazz12. Change the Act?13. Yes . . . Please!14. Instant Theater15. New Ideas16. Theater Without a NetAcknowledgments

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Book SynopsisNoh master Michishige Udaka is the only living actor to continue to create masks while still performing and teaching. In this book he presents 32 of the more than 200 masks he's made to date, accompanied by compelling revelations about the masks and the highly nuanced ancient dramatic art of Noh itself. Ruth Ozeki, who studied Noh theatre under Udaka in Japan, has contributed a new Foreword to further complement the stunning photographs.

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Book SynopsisTrade ReviewI remember the spring of 1928. I was almost twelve years old. We opened, and there was a brand new roll of music on the Merry-Go-Round. The tune it played, “Ramona,” had been recently popular. I was familiar with it and delighted in humming and singing the song. The words were pure romance to me. I could just see “Ramona” with the “rambling rose in her hair,” meeting her lover “by the Waterfall.” He “blessed the day she taught him to care.” My naive impression at my age of the beauty of their idyllic love was not disturbed when he admitted he “dreaded the dawn when he awoke to find her gone.” I had yet to learn of that kind of love. I only knew that I felt sorry for him when she had to leave and spoil their romantic meeting “by the waterfall.”

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Book SynopsisCharlie Chaplin grew up in and around the music hall. His parents, aunt and their friends all earned their precarious livings on the stage and Chaplin himself started out his career touring music halls with a dance troupe. His experiences of the culture of the music hall were a major influence, shaping his style of acting and the films he made, most famously Limelight, which tells the story of a failing variety performer and which evoked painful memories of his own past. Chaplin was horrified to see how performers' lives were ruined when their audience turned against them and he was relieved to exchange the stresses of live performance for screen comedy. Barry Anthony here tells the story of the lives and careers of Chaplin's family and their music-hall circle - from 'dashing' Eva Lester to the great Fred Karno and from Chaplin's parents Hannah Hill and Charles Chaplin to 'The Great Calvero' himself. He reveals the difficult and often-tragic lives of London's variety community in the late-Victorian and Edwardian years, a time of great change in the music hall and entertainment scene, and in doing so sheds important new light on the inspiration behind Chaplin's genius, providing a fascinatingly fresh perspective on this popular cultural icon of the twentieth century.Trade Review'Barry Anthony has managed to bring back to life the often remarkable and dramatic lives of the performers who once entertained the British public in the many music halls throughout the country.' Michael Chaplin, from the Foreword to this book 'Chaplin's work is rooted in music hall. That is not surprising since both his father and his mother earned their living on the halls. As a writer examining Chaplin's links with music hall, Barry Anthony could not be bettered. A recognised expert on early cinema and the music halls, he paints a vivid account of a crucial part of Chaplin's extraordinary career.' Richard Anthony Baker, author of British Music Hall: An Illustrated History and editor of Music Hall Studies 'I have learned such a lot from this book. It is meticulously researched and well written; an important addition to music-hall history and to Chaplin studies.' Max Tyler, historian of the British Music Hall SocietyTable of ContentsOverture – The Road to Ruin ‘Dashing’ Eva Lester – The Californian Gem Little Lily Harley – Original and Refined Kitty Fairdale – The Crème de la Crème of Terpsichorean Serio-Comics Charles Chaplin – Descriptive Singer Arthur West – Topical and Extempore Vocalist Leo Dryden – The Kipling of the Halls Will Godwin – Dramatic Sketch Artist The Eight Lancashire Lads – Characteristic and Champion Clog Dancers Jessie Macnally – The Dublin Girl Casey’s Circus – A Ragged Burlesque Fred Karno and his Colossal Combination of Comedians 13. The Great Calvero – Master of Pantomime and Comic Songs

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Book Synopsis`Cooperman! The Life of Tommy Cooper' is a hilarious look at one of Britain's best-loved comedians. For almost four decades, Tommy Cooper was the most popular entertainer in the country, and certainly the most imitated. This is the story of the man and his magic, his life, and his times. This volume contains hundreds of his favourite jokes, tricks, and sketches, as well as behind-the-scenes stories from his friends, family, and fellow artistes. This entertaining and informative account provides an insight into the fun and humour of Tommy Cooper. It is intended as genial aide-memoire to remind fans why they loved this British comedy giant. Cooperman! is an authorised biography, presented with the blessing of Cooper's family and estate. Ian Carroll is a co-writer and creator of `Just Like That! The Tommy Cooper Show', a theatrical play currently touring across the UK to both critical and audience acclaim.

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Book SynopsisConfidence is essential for any stand-up comic and having confidence in your material is the first step to having greater confidence on stage. It is said that proper preparation makes for professional performance and this book provides the tools to achieve this, offering down-to-earth practical advice and a logical progression from identifying your stage persona, thinking about your audience and the craft of honing comedy material to fit your persona and audience, through to structuring your stand-up set, preparing for when things might go wrong, and last but not least - progressing your career. Get Your Act Together is a book for anyone who wants to be serious about becoming a stand-up comic and wants to do it well.

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Book SynopsisFour millennials looking for sex, love and a well-located flat find themselves caught in a complex game of rivalry, desire and seduction. As the cost of happiness soars, how can they negotiate the new rules of modern relationships and win the game of love? Games for Lovers is a glittering modern rom-com with a wicked gleam in its eye.

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Book SynopsisThe power of story in our lives is far from adequately understood in contemporary culture. Equally the therapeutic power of storytelling, how it can quite literally entrance and even heal, has been ignored until recently. Transforming Tales reveals the true impact of stories on our lives and how stories can create feelings of hope, take away psychological distress and even stimulate the immune system.Written by an experienced professional storyteller, this book contains over 90 short stories, from traditional fables to fascinating modern yarns, and allows readers to understand the hidden patterns storytellers use to captivate attention and learn how truths are often encapsulated in myths, jokes and fairy stories.The author focuses on the therapeutic value of stories and how they can instigate real change in people's lives. The book also reveals everything you need to know to create vibrant, memorable, original stories and short metaphors for yourself.This extraordinary journey into imagination and understanding will be an illuminating read for those professionally concerned with psychological and personal change and anyone who wants to learn more about the power and significance of stories.Trade ReviewThe potential of this book, not to replace but to supplement and inform the literature of pedagogy and therapy, is enormous. The author is correct in saying that there is much 'piecemeal knowledge' about stories - including that of pedagogues, philosophers and therapists - think of Jung's 'archetypes', for example - which "needs to be shared in a practical and accessible way". (p.18). This book is certainly accessible; it is also articulate, entertaining and challenging. And it is most definitely the work of a consummate storyteller. Rob Parkinson has clearly achieved his stated aim in producing "a manual to which you can return over and again to try out new ideas" -- Pastoral Care in EducationIt is a book rich in the art and craft of the storyteller and how they can be used in many different ways and settings...This book is constructed in such a way that it gives you confidence to develop the storyteller in you... I recommend this book for everyone who wants to be connected with the storyteller and story listener within themselves. Enjoy. -- British Psychodrama JournalThis is a book to suit all audiences, from novice to experienced tellers. Although written with a strong slant towards the psychological side of stories, and obviously with therapists in mind, it is not restricted to storytellers interested in therapeutic work. It is written in an entertaining and engaging style, and is heavily seeded with anecdotes and stories. The discussions, exercises and stories should be of interest to everyone. I would recommend this for anyone interested in telling stories or in the power of storytelling. -- Facts & FictionThe use of language throughout the book is interesting, stimulating and thought provoking. The extensive use of fables, stories, shorts, narratives, and vignettes, enables Parkinson to share the tools and techniques of the storytelling trade in a unique way. His clever uses of drama and cliff hangers within the illustrations also draw the reader in, helping him/her move through the book more smoothly and enthusiastically than if one had an academic textbook. -- Journal of Applied Arts and HealthThere's something for everyone in this book, from those who are interested in the history of the story to those, such as therapists, who want to use them to change behaviour. Parkinson says that stories exist to expand the mind; I would say his book does that too, giving readers the skills and confidence to effect great change with the simple art of storytelling. -- RapportAn illuminating account of the art, mechanics and history of storytelling. Transforming Tales is of value to those working in the field of psychiatry or looking to learn more about the power and significance of stories. A fascinating and eye-opening journey, it offers a fresh perspective on an ancient form. -- Inside OutPure gold both for adept storytellers and those for whom story making seems a mysterious art, this enormously rich book brings together the wealth of knowledge about stories that is currently mostly dispersed across different fields, such as education, psychology, psychotherapy, anthropology, folklore and entertainment. Much more than a manual for creating and telling stories, the book itself, with its 90 or more stories, has the capacity to transform, sowing subtle seeds of possibility in the mind of the reader. From the outset, there is an immediacy and warmth to Parkinson's prose, which engages the reader in a very practical way. This book is, in my opinion, the crown jewel of storybooks, carefully constructed and a perfect joy to read. I shall return to it again and again. -- Human Givens JournalThis book is an ambitious and significant attempt to draw together the deep values of oral storytelling and its contemporary contexts. The result is a wise, humane and practical primer which will be of interest to all those touched by the burgeoning renaissance. -- Blethers NewsletterA very interesting and unusual book... The central theme of stories for change is challenging and exciting and it offers a good deal of wisdom about working with stories and insights into the stories themselves -- Mary Medlicott, former Chair of the Society of StorytellingAn illuminating account of the stories behind, within, above and below metaphors. The author's style is wonderfully engaging and flows beautifully from start to finish... This book will inspire anyone who works in therapeutic, creative, educational or business settings as well as being a joyful read to those who are fascinated by stories, fables and folklore. -- Jaycee la Bouce, therapist and coachThis is a source of fabulous ideas and insights on the art of storytelling I will dip into again and again. Thought provoking explanations and rich examples are underpinned with biological information all of which flow easily from Rob's huge experience and skill as a storyteller. It seems as if stories really are wound into our DNA. -- Andy Vass, psychotherapist, coach and author of Teaching with Influence and Coaching and Mentoring for LeadersA cornucopia of ancient and modern stories is interspersed with guidance on storytelling techniques, making learning from this book both entertaining and experiential. Facilitators will find tips that can be adapted in work with others: how to "wake up" an audience with a surprise or puzzle; how to spin out a story or repeat a key motif in order to engage imaginations at a deep level...Anyone who loves stories will enjoy this book. Those seeking creative ways of working with others will be rewarded, as will those curious about how our minds interpret narratives and approach change. -- Lapidus Journal, Fiona Hamilton, authorTable of ContentsIntroduction. 1. The Natural Storyteller. 2. The Spanish Game:Guided Imagery and Stories. 3. The Way You Tell 'em: The Art and Craft of Oral Storytelling. 4. Traditional Ways of Storytelling. 5. Marvellous Miniatures: Making Short Metaphors. 6. New Lamps for Old: Transposing Stories. 7. Traps and Treasures: Symbols, Storied Within Stories and Metaphorical Literacy. Notes and References. Index.

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Book Synopsis'Little Britain' arrived on British TV in 2003 - and was an instant hit. Matt Lucas and David Walliams wrote and performed, and their sharp satirical genius created this character-based sketch show - Vicky Pollard, Dafydd 'I'm the only gay in the village', Ting Tong Macadangdang are hard to forget. Its huge popularity as cult-comedy on radio, then television, with its success as mainstream award-winning comedy and as a national and international TV phenomenon, have been tempered by criticism. It's pushed the boundaries of taste too far, some have claimed; it's grotesquely un-politically correct, mocks social groups and participates in the 'humour of humiliation' say others. Timely and comprehensive, this must-read book on 'Little Britain' for fans and scholars is the first to provide lively critiques of the show by leading writers, who explore its appeal and dissect its controversies. They look into representations of gender, sexuality, race, disability and class, into sketch-show conventions, the art of the comedy catchphrase, audiences' responses and still more. It provides too a Film, TV and Radio Guide.Table of ContentsAcknowledgements Notes on Contributors Character List Introduction: Britain, Britain, Britain (Sharon Lockyer) PART 1: Narrative, Genre and Comedic Techniques 1) Analysing Little Britain as a Sketch Show (Ian Mowatt) 2) Little Britain Live (Stephen Lacey) 3) ‘Yeah but no but yeah’: A Linguistic Perspective on the Humour of Little Britain (Julia Snell) PART 2: Little Britain and Identity 4) ‘I can’t believe you just said that’: Figuring Gender and Sexuality in Little Britain (Deborah Finding) 5) How Little Britain does ‘race’ (Sarita Malik) 6) ‘Mischief and Monstrosity’: Little Britain and Disability (Margaret Montgomerie) 7) Chavs, Chav-nots and Anyone-in-between: Social Class in Little Britain (Sharon Lockyer) PART 3: Little Britain and Inter/national Audiences 8) ‘I’m anti-Little Britain, and I’m worried I might start laughing’: Audience Responses to Little Britain (Brett Mills) 9) Little Britain: An American Perspective (Arthur Asa Berger) 10) ‘In English please!’ Lost in Translation: Little Britain and Italian Audiences (Delia Chiaro) POSTSCRIPT: Little Britain USA (Kim Akass) Figure 1: Comparison of Anderson’s (1997) results with the speech of Vicky Pollard Film, TV and Radio Guide Bibliography Index

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Book SynopsisPresents an array of tricks that baffle and amaze.Table of ContentsIntroduction: how and when to trick for best effect; Practical Jokes and Tricks; A chapter of classical practical jokes for everyone (except the victim) to enjoy. Leave your friends and enemies with egg on their face (literally) or humiliated (but happy!); Card Tricks; The best card tricks around, a surprising number of which require only the barest minimum of skill - and a pack of cards.; Bar Tricks; How to amaze your friends while you're out for a drink, from juggling change to picking up ice cubes with cotton thread.; Tricks With Everyday Objects; A chapter of tricks to perform any time, anywhere - in the kitchen, at work or even in the bank queue.

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Book SynopsisThe mysterious art of magic has been a source of wonderment since before the time of Christ. Shape shifting between the supernatural practices of 'real' magic and demonstrations of dazzling illusion, magic has been used to conjure the evil eye, burn villages to the ground, slice women in half, and save men from being crushed to death by five tonnes of cement. Robert Ralley's history takes us deep into this magical underworld to reveal the astounding stories of some of the world's greatest magicians. From the astrology of the three wise men to Harry Houdini's escapology, and David Blain's endurance tests, Ralley illustrates the changing perceptions of magic and the dangerous balance between illusion, fraud, and devilry that still exists today.

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Book SynopsisHorror films strive to make audiences scream, but they also garner plenty of laughs. In fact, there is a long tradition of horror directors who are fluent in humor, from James Whale to John Landis to Jordan Peele. So how might horror and humor overlap more than we would expect? Dead Funny locates humor as a key element in the American horror film, one that is not merely used for extraneous “comic relief” moments but often serves to underscore major themes, intensify suspense, and disorient viewers. Each chapter focuses on a different comic style or device, from the use of funny monsters and scary clowns in movies like A Nightmare on Elm Street to the physical humor and slapstick in movies ranging from The Evil Dead to Final Destination. Along the way, humor scholar David Gillota explores how horror films employ parody, satire, and camp to comment on gender, sexuality, and racial politics. Covering everything from the grotesque body in Freaks to the comedy of awkwardness in Midsommar, this book shows how integral humor has been to the development of the American horror film over the past century. Trade Review"Dead Funny offers a brilliant rethinking of the horror genre as profoundly comic. Exploring parody, the comic monster, body humor, queer camp, cringe comedy, and satire, Dead Funny serves up a comprehensive look at humor’s centrality to the structure and tone of U.S. horror film since the 1930s. You’ll be surprised at some of the films that come up in David Gillota’s provocative book—but I guarantee you’ll also be convinced."— Dawn Keetley, author of Making a Monster: Jesse Pomeroy, the Boy Murderer of 1870s Boston “Historically, horror scholarship has often displayed an almost phobic disregard for horror-comedies and the comedy in horror. You almost would not know that horror is often intricately enmeshed with comedy. David Gillota's Dead Funny corrects this omission, taking on comedic horror from the silent era to Jordan Peele with care and rigor. And the best part: it is even funny.”— Murray Leeder, author of Horror Film: A Critical IntroductionTable of ContentsIntroduction: Approaching Horror through Humor 1. Parodying Horror, Horror as Parody 2. Clowns, Fools, and Dummies: Horror’s Comic Monsters 3. Painfully Funny: The Humor of Body Horror 4. Camping Out: Horror’s Queer Humor and Gender Play 5. Cringes and Creeps: Exploring Awkward Horror 6. Horror, Humor, and Critique: Satire in Horror Acknowledgments Notes Bibliography Index

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Book SynopsisHorror films strive to make audiences scream, but they also garner plenty of laughs. In fact, there is a long tradition of horror directors who are fluent in humor, from James Whale to John Landis to Jordan Peele. So how might horror and humor overlap more than we would expect? Dead Funny locates humor as a key element in the American horror film, one that is not merely used for extraneous “comic relief” moments but often serves to underscore major themes, intensify suspense, and disorient viewers. Each chapter focuses on a different comic style or device, from the use of funny monsters and scary clowns in movies like A Nightmare on Elm Street to the physical humor and slapstick in movies ranging from The Evil Dead to Final Destination. Along the way, humor scholar David Gillota explores how horror films employ parody, satire, and camp to comment on gender, sexuality, and racial politics. Covering everything from the grotesque body in Freaks to the comedy of awkwardness in Midsommar, this book shows how integral humor has been to the development of the American horror film over the past century. Trade Review"Dead Funny offers a brilliant rethinking of the horror genre as profoundly comic. Exploring parody, the comic monster, body humor, queer camp, cringe comedy, and satire, Dead Funny serves up a comprehensive look at humor’s centrality to the structure and tone of U.S. horror film since the 1930s. You’ll be surprised at some of the films that come up in David Gillota’s provocative book—but I guarantee you’ll also be convinced."— Dawn Keetley, author of Making a Monster: Jesse Pomeroy, the Boy Murderer of 1870s Boston “Historically, horror scholarship has often displayed an almost phobic disregard for horror-comedies and the comedy in horror. You almost would not know that horror is often intricately enmeshed with comedy. David Gillota's Dead Funny corrects this omission, taking on comedic horror from the silent era to Jordan Peele with care and rigor. And the best part: it is even funny.”— Murray Leeder, author of Horror Film: A Critical IntroductionTable of ContentsIntroduction: Approaching Horror through Humor 1. Parodying Horror, Horror as Parody 2. Clowns, Fools, and Dummies: Horror’s Comic Monsters 3. Painfully Funny: The Humor of Body Horror 4. Camping Out: Horror’s Queer Humor and Gender Play 5. Cringes and Creeps: Exploring Awkward Horror 6. Horror, Humor, and Critique: Satire in Horror Acknowledgments Notes Bibliography Index

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Book SynopsisUnder Japanese colonial rule in the early 20th century, Korean women began to expand their realm from the domestic to the public sphere. Sung Un Gang examines how the women's gaze was reimagined in public discourse as they began attending plays and movies, and investigates the complex negotiation process surrounding women's public presence. As the first extensive study of Korean female spectators of the colonial era, it analyses newspapers, magazines, fictions, and images and argues that public discourse aimed to mold them into a male-driven and top-down modernization project. This study reconceptualizes colonial Korean female spectators as diverse active agents with their own politics.

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